Multi-camera module, multi-camera device and functional device

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of multi-camera module, multi-camera device and functional equipment, the image of different area in length direction in scene is obtained by different camera group, the image of different area in width direction in scene is realized to obtain by camera group including multiple cameras, realize small field of view camera image acquisition in area, low in cost, high definition, and can carry out camera calibration in advance.The main technical scheme of the utility model is as follows: a kind of multi-camera module, including multiple camera groups, any camera group includes at least one camera, camera is connected with support;The vertical angle of optical axis of camera in different camera groups and horizontal plane is different, when including multiple cameras in same camera group, the vertical angle of optical axis of camera and horizontal plane is same, there is horizontal angle between the optical axis of camera, to obtain the image of different area in length direction and width direction in scene.The utility model is mainly used for image acquisition.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of optical imaging technology, and in particular to a multi-camera module, multi-camera device and functional equipment. Background Technology

[0002] With the advancement of digitalization, digital image recording is used very frequently in daily life. Based on image acquisition, scenes can be dynamically recorded, and can be monitored, reviewed, zoomed in in real time, and digitally analyzed based on images, bringing many conveniences to life.

[0003] When the scene space is large, multiple cameras are usually needed in different areas of the scene to obtain images of the entire scene, thus achieving segmented image acquisition. The images from these cameras are difficult to stitch and integrate, and can usually only be viewed individually. If stitching is required, on-site personnel must perform calibration during installation, making the construction process complex. Using a single wide-angle camera, due to the need to balance a large field of view and clarity at long distances, significantly increases the cost of the camera, making it far more expensive than using multiple low-end cameras. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides a multi-camera module, a multi-camera device and a functional device, which mainly solves the problems of high cost of using large field-of-view cameras and difficulty in deploying small field-of-view cameras when acquiring images in large scenes.

[0005] On the one hand, this utility model provides a multi-camera module,

[0006] Support (100);

[0007] Multiple camera groups, each camera group including at least one camera, the camera being connected to a support (100);

[0008] In different camera groups, the optical axis of the camera makes a different vertical angle with the horizontal plane. When there are multiple cameras in the same camera group, the optical axis of the camera in the same camera group makes the same vertical angle with the horizontal plane, and the optical axes of the cameras in the same camera group have a horizontal angle between them, so as to obtain images of different areas in the length and width directions of the scene.

[0009] The multiple camera groups include close-up camera groups and long-range camera groups;

[0010] The close-up camera group includes at least one close-up camera (200) connected to the support (100), and the far-view camera group includes at least one far-view camera (300) connected to the support (100).

[0011] The optical axis of the close-up camera (200) has a first vertical angle with the horizontal plane, and the optical axis of the distant camera (300) has a second vertical angle with the horizontal plane;

[0012] The second vertical angle is smaller than the first vertical angle, so that the close-up camera (200) can obtain a close-up image of the front area of ​​the scene, and the far-view camera (300) can obtain a far-view image of the rear area of ​​the scene. The front area and the rear area are different areas in the length direction of the scene.

[0013] Among them, the number of close-range cameras (200) is multiple;

[0014] The optical axes of the adjacent close-up cameras (200) have a first horizontal angle so that the multiple close-up cameras (200) can acquire close-up images of different areas in the width direction of the front area.

[0015] Among them, the number of long-range cameras (300) is multiple;

[0016] The optical axes of adjacent remote cameras (300) have a second horizontal angle so that the multiple remote cameras (300) can acquire remote images of different areas in the width direction of the rear area.

[0017] Among them, the close-up camera (200) and the long-range camera (300) are arranged in the horizontal direction.

[0018] When there are multiple close-up cameras (200), the multiple close-up cameras (200) are arranged adjacent to each other, and the distant camera (300) is located outside the close-up camera (200).

[0019] The number of close-up cameras (200) is the same as the number of distant cameras (300), or the number of distant cameras (300) is less than the number of close-up cameras (200).

[0020] Among them, the effective focal length of the distant camera (300) is greater than that of the close-up camera (200).

[0021] There are overlapping areas between the fields of view of different cameras.

[0022] The camera includes a lens and an image sensor, with the lens's target surface being larger than the image sensor's target surface.

[0023] The support body (100) includes a front end face (110) and a functional face (120), and the camera group is set on the functional face (120);

[0024] The functional surface (120) is concave inward relative to the front end surface (110), or the functional surface (120) is convex outward relative to the front end surface (110), or the functional surface (120) and the front end surface (110) are both planes and coplanar.

[0025] The support (100) includes a plurality of first mounting holes (101), and the camera is inserted into the first mounting hole (101). The first mounting hole (101) is used to limit the position of the camera so as to fix the angle of the camera axis.

[0026] The multi-camera module also includes: a heat sink (500); the camera is used to acquire images from the first side, the heat sink (500) is connected to the support (100), and the heat sink (500) covers at least the second side of the camera opposite to the first side, the heat sink (500) is used to dissipate heat for the camera;

[0027] The heat sink (500) includes a metal cover plate (501) and / or the heat sink (500) includes thermal adhesive.

[0028] The multi-camera module also includes:

[0029] Wide-angle lens (400), the wide-angle lens (400) is connected to the support (100);

[0030] The field of view of the wide-angle lens (400) is greater than that of the camera, and the resolution of the camera is greater than that of the wide-angle lens (400).

[0031] The wide-angle lens (400) is used to capture wide-angle images of the scene.

[0032] Among them, the wide-angle lens (400) and multiple cameras are arranged horizontally, or the multiple cameras are arranged horizontally and the wide-angle lens (400) and multiple cameras are arranged in a triangle.

[0033] The support (100) includes a second mounting hole (102), into which a wide-angle lens (400) is inserted. The second mounting hole (102) is used to limit the position of the wide-angle lens (400) so that the axis angle between the camera and the wide-angle lens (400) is fixed.

[0034] On the other hand, this application also provides a multi-camera device, including a multi-camera module as described in any of the above, and

[0035] The outer casing covers at least a portion of the outer periphery of the multi-camera module.

[0036] The support body (100) includes a front end face (110) and a functional face (120), the camera group is set on the functional face (120), and the front end face (110) surrounds the functional face (120).

[0037] The housing includes a front cover that is adapted to the contour of the front end face (110) and abuts against the front end face (110).

[0038] The front face (110) is a plane, or the front face (110) includes a stepped surface (111) and a sunken surface (112), the stepped surface (111) protrudes from the sunken surface (112), and the stepped surface (111) surrounds the functional surface (120).

[0039] The outer shell includes connectors, which include one or a combination of clamping components, magnetic components, hanging components, plug-in components, threaded components, adhesive components, and support bases.

[0040] In another aspect, this application also provides a functional device, including a multi-camera module as described in any of the above, and a functional main body, wherein the multi-camera module is connected to the functional main body;

[0041] Alternatively, it may include a multi-camera device as described above, and a functional unit, wherein the multi-camera device is connected to the functional unit.

[0042] This invention proposes a multi-camera module, multi-camera device, and functional equipment. By setting up multiple camera groups, with different angles between the optical axes of the cameras in different camera groups and the horizontal plane, the cameras in different camera groups face different areas along the length of the scene, thus acquiring images of different areas along the length of the scene. Each camera group includes one or more cameras, providing the required horizontal field of view. When multiple cameras are included, the optical axes of the cameras have horizontal angles, allowing different cameras to face different areas along the width of the scene, thus acquiring images of different areas along the width of the scene. The number of camera groups and the number of cameras in a single camera group can be designed according to the needs of the scene. The number of cameras can be flexibly adjusted according to the scene, enabling cameras with small field of view to acquire images of small areas in both the width and length directions, ensuring clarity. Furthermore, due to the connection of the support structure, the positions of the cameras are fixed, allowing for pre-calibration of the cameras. This enables the stitching of images acquired by multiple cameras to acquire an image of the entire scene, ensuring image quality comparable to high-definition wide-angle cameras while significantly reducing costs and avoiding edge distortion problems found in wide-angle cameras. This provides a high-quality and more economical solution. Attached Figure Description

[0043] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a support structure from a first-view perspective is provided for an embodiment of this utility model;

[0044] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a support body from a second perspective is provided for an embodiment of this utility model;

[0045] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a support body from a third-person perspective, provided for an embodiment of this utility model;

[0046] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a support body from a fourth perspective, provided for an embodiment of this utility model;

[0047] Figure 5 A structural schematic diagram of a support body from a fifth-angle perspective provided in an embodiment of this utility model;

[0048] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of a support body from a sixth-angle perspective, provided for an embodiment of this utility model;

[0049] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-camera module from a first-view perspective, provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-camera module from a second perspective, provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-camera module from a third-person perspective is provided for an embodiment of this utility model;

[0052] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-camera module from a fourth perspective is provided for an embodiment of this utility model;

[0053] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-camera module from a fifth-angle perspective is provided for an embodiment of this utility model;

[0054] Figure 12 A schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-camera module from a sixth-angle perspective is provided for an embodiment of this utility model;

[0055] Figure 13 A first-person perspective scene diagram of a classroom provided for an embodiment of this utility model;

[0056] Figure 14 A schematic diagram of a classroom scene from a second-view perspective, provided for an embodiment of this utility model;

[0057] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the pixel distribution of a wide-angle camera in existing technology;

[0058] Figure 16 A schematic diagram of the pixel distribution of a camera provided for an embodiment of this utility model;

[0059] Figure 17This is a schematic diagram of the image acquisition range of a multi-camera module provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0060] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of another multi-camera module provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0061] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of another multi-camera module provided in an embodiment of the present utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0062] To further illustrate the technical means and effects adopted by this utility model to achieve its intended purpose, the following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments, details the specific implementation, structure, features, and effects of the multi-camera module proposed according to this utility model.

[0063] On the one hand, such as Figure 1-12 As shown, this embodiment of the utility model provides a multi-camera module.

[0064] Support (100);

[0065] Multiple camera groups, each camera group including at least one camera, the camera being connected to a support (100);

[0066] Different camera groups have different angles between the optical axis of the cameras and the vertical plane to obtain images of different areas along the length of the scene;

[0067] When a camera group includes multiple cameras, the optical axes of the cameras in the same camera group have the same vertical angle with the horizontal plane, and the optical axes of the cameras in the same camera group have horizontal angles with each other, so as to obtain images of different areas in the width direction of the scene.

[0068] The multi-camera module of this application can replace expensive wide-angle high-definition cameras at a low cost, mainly relying on two aspects. First, through a complete design concept, the number and angle of the camera group, as well as the number and angle of the cameras in the camera group, are set according to the actual situation of the scene. This allows the acquisition of images of the entire scene from small areas of the camera, while ensuring that the selection of each camera is low-cost and easy to obtain. Second, multiple cameras are fixed by a support body (100), thereby fixing the optical axis position of each camera. This allows the images acquired by the cameras to be stitched together and integrated into a whole image, and can be used locally without the need for individual installation and calibration on site.

[0069] The following text will describe these two aspects in detail:

[0070] Firstly, regarding the design concept.

[0071] The following example uses a classroom as a scenario. It can be understood that the scenario is not limited to a classroom. It can be a shopping mall, conference room, playground, meeting room, stadium, etc., but they have similar design ideas, which will not be elaborated on here.

[0072] Multi-camera modules can be embedded in electronic blackboards or mounted externally above them to capture students' facial expressions and body movements in the classroom. The image information captured by the cameras is used by backend algorithms to determine students' attentiveness in class, thus assessing the quality of teaching and allowing teachers or students to reflect on their learning after class. In specific scenarios, the area that needs to be captured in the classroom is as follows... Figures 13-14 As shown, assume the classroom's length is L (the length of the classroom), width is D (the width of the classroom), and height is H. Specifically, the classroom's length L = 9 meters, width D = 8 meters, and height H = 3.5 meters. In the classroom, the distance between the first row of students and the camera along the length of the scene is L1, the student's height is h1, and the camera's installation height is H1. Here, L1 is assumed to be 1.8 meters (e.g., ...). Figure 13-14 In the diagram, the students in the first row occupy the frontmost position of the space, with a distance of L12 (1.4 meters) from the camera along the length of the scene. The students in the last row occupy the rearmost position of the space, with a distance of L1 (1.7 meters) from the camera along the length of the scene. The camera is installed at a height of H1 of 2 meters, and the student height is h1 = 0.917 meters. The distance between the last row of students and the camera along the length of the scene is 9 meters. For ease of explanation, the distance a meters from the camera along the length of the scene will be referred to as "a meter" in the following text.

[0073] As shown in the data above, classrooms are large spaces, and it's difficult to fully cover the area that needs to be covered using a camera with a small field of view (at least to capture the faces of all students). Using a camera with a large field of view results in low pixel resolution for distant image details, making facial recognition difficult. Furthermore, large field-of-view cameras also tend to have greater distortion. Figure 15 As shown, this severely impacts image quality. If a camera were to balance high resolution and a wide field of view, it would result in an expensive camera.

[0074] The following is a detailed analysis of the camera requirements when using a single camera:

[0075] To capture the entire first row of students, the camera's horizontal field of view (HFOV) must satisfy HFOV = 2 * arctan(D / 2 / L1). Taking the classroom scene above as an example, HFOV = 2 * arctan(8 / 2 / 1.8) = 131.5°. The camera's vertical field of view (VFOV) must satisfy VFOV = arctan((H1-h1) / L1) = 31°. This yields the camera's HFOV and VFOV. Then, based on the client's image pixel density requirements, the camera's effective focal length (EFL) is calculated. EFL refers to the distance from the principal point of the camera's lens to the point where light rays converge to form a focal point. EFL determines the camera's imaging capability and magnification, serving as a fundamental parameter for subsequent calculations. Classroom monitoring algorithms per unit area have pixel density requirements for facial and limb recognition. For example, in a face area of ​​size m*m and d meters, the pixel density needs to be b*b pixels to achieve a high recognition rate. The camera's edge pixel density (EFL) needs to satisfy EFL = d*b*p / m (where p is the pixel size). Taking the aforementioned classroom with dimensions of 9 meters long, 8 meters wide, and 3.5 meters high as an example, assuming a face at 9 meters is 160*160mm according to national standards, the pixel density needs to be 80*80 pixels. With a camera image sensor pixel size of 1.12µm, the camera's EFL = 9000*80*1.12 / 1000 / 160 = 5.04mm. Based on the determined EFL, the specifications of the image sensor required for a single camera are calculated. Specifically, as calculated above, a single camera has an EFL of 5.04 and requires an HFOV of 131.5°, classifying it as a wide-angle camera. This results in significant camera distortion. After distortion correction, the pixel density in the center field of view is greater than that in the edge field of view, leading to a decrease in pixel density at the edges. The distortion diagram is shown below. Figure 15 As shown, for a camera with an EFL of 5.04 and an HFOV of 131.5°, the horizontal pixel count of the image sensor needs to meet the following requirements. θ is the HFOV angle, and n is the horizontal pixel count of the image sensor. Taking this classroom as an example, n = 2tan(131.5 / 2)*5.04*1000 / 1.12 = 19797. The horizontal resolution is 19797 pixels. The image sensor needs to have 19797*14847 = 290 million pixels. Such a sensor is very expensive, and the matching lens is also very large. The lens surface needs to be 24.75mm.

[0076] As the calculations above show, using a single camera (i.e., a single sensor) would require a single image sensor with 290 million pixels, which is too costly, space-consuming, and results in significant distortion and uneven pixel density. For this application scenario, the design approach requires a multi-camera setup, involving the design of the number and angles of camera groups, as well as the number and angles of cameras within any given group. Based on the horizontal and vertical pixel counts of individual camera sensors and the aforementioned horizontal and vertical field of view of the scene, the corresponding parameters for each camera are calculated. Specifically:

[0077] In the width direction, that is, within a single camera group, considering using two or more cameras stitched together to form a 131.5° field of view, the average field of view of each camera decreases, and lens distortion also decreases. For example... Figure 16 As shown, to cover the first row of students (those 1.8 meters away), a field of view of approximately 131.5° is required. This can be achieved by stitching together two or more cameras. Assuming five cameras are used, each camera needs to have a horizontal pixel count that is 1 / 5 of the pixel count when using a single camera, i.e., n = 2tan(131.5 / 2) * 5.04 * 1000 / 1.12 / 5, resulting in 3959 pixels; and a vertical pixel count that is 3 / 4 of the horizontal pixel count, i.e., 3959 * 3 / 4. The total pixel count is then calculated as horizontal pixel count * vertical pixel count: 3959 * (3959 * 3 / 4) = 11.75 million pixels. The vertical angle needs to be 31°, and each individual camera in the stitching also needs to have a vertical pixel count = tan(131.5 / 2) * 5.04 * 1000 / 1.12 / 5, resulting in 3959 pixels. The vertical field of view is calculated as: * EFL * 1000 / image sensor pixel size, i.e., tan31° * 5.04 * 1000 / 1.12 = 2703 pixels. The total number of pixels is calculated based on the vertical angle: vertical pixels * horizontal pixels. The horizontal pixel count is 4 / 3 of the vertical pixel count, i.e., (tan31° * 5.04 * 1000 / 1.12) * 4 / 3. Therefore, the total number of pixels is (tan31° * 5.04 * 1000 / 1.12) * ((tan31° * 5.04 * 1000 / 1.12) * 4 / 3), resulting in 9.74 million pixels.

[0078] The above assumption is based on stitching together five cameras. Although the overall pixel count of a single camera decreases significantly, using five cameras as a group results in an excessively large overall stitched size and low production yield. Therefore, the design approach is to split and combine the images, specifically using a front-to-back split method. In this application, different camera groups capture images of the front and rear regions along the length direction (front-to-back direction) of the scene. Furthermore, the above analysis focuses on stitching along the width of the scene. Since the length of the scene is also significant, as mentioned earlier, to achieve the required accuracy, the camera's focal length (EFL) needs to be 5.04, necessitating a depth of field range of 1.7 meters to 9 meters, which a single camera group cannot meet. Specifically:

[0079] According to the depth-of-field calculation formula, the near-field depth-of-field calculation formula is:

[0080]

[0081] The formula for calculating depth of field is:

[0082]

[0083] Where f is the EFL, F is the camera aperture, L is the focusing distance, and q is the circle of confusion size (p×2). In this case, using EFL = 5.04, F = 1.8, L = 3700m, and q = 0.00224mm, the calculated depth of field range is 2.33m to 9.03m, which cannot meet the working requirements of a classroom with a distance of 1.7m to 9m. Therefore, the multiple camera group setup described in this application is required to achieve comprehensive acquisition of images along the length of the scene.

[0084] The camera group can include multiple groups depending on the depth of field and customer requirements. For example, in one embodiment, the multiple camera groups include a close-up camera group and a distant camera group. The close-up camera group includes at least one close-up camera (200) connected to a support (100). The distant camera group includes at least one distant camera (300) connected to the support (100). The optical axis of the close-up camera (200) has a first vertical angle with the horizontal plane, and the optical axis of the distant camera (300) has a second vertical angle with the horizontal plane. The second vertical angle is smaller than the first vertical angle, so that the close-up camera (200) acquires a close-up image of the front area of ​​the scene, and the distant camera (300) acquires a distant image of the rear area of ​​the scene. The front area and the rear area are different areas in the length direction of the scene.

[0085] The number of close-up cameras (200) can be one or more. Typically, multiple close-up cameras (200) are needed because they require a larger horizontal field of view, while one or more distant cameras (300) may be used. This will be explained in detail below with reference to the aforementioned embodiments. When there are multiple close-up cameras (200), the optical axes of adjacent close-up cameras (200) have a first horizontal angle, allowing multiple close-up cameras (200) to acquire close-up images of different areas in the width direction of the front region. When there are multiple distant cameras (300), the optical axes of adjacent distant cameras (300) have a second horizontal angle, allowing multiple distant cameras (300) to acquire distant images of different areas in the width direction of the rear region. The first horizontal angle causes different close-up cameras (200) to face different areas in the width direction of the scene; for example, two close-up cameras (200) may acquire images of the left side and right side of the front region in the width direction of the scene, respectively. The second horizontal angle allows different distant cameras (300) to face different areas in the width direction of the scene. For example, two distant cameras (300) can respectively acquire the left and right images of the rear area in the width direction. This divides the scene into four areas: front left, front right, rear left, and rear right, for image acquisition. The first horizontal angle is set according to the horizontal field of view of the close-up camera (200) and the extension in the width direction of the scene, such as 60 degrees, 80 degrees, 90 degrees, etc. Similarly, the second horizontal angle is set according to the field of view of the distant camera (300) and the extension in the width direction of the scene, such as 60 degrees, 80 degrees, 90 degrees, etc. The difference between the second vertical angle and the first vertical angle enables the near-field camera group and the far-field camera group to acquire near-field images of the front area and far-field images of the rear area in the length direction of the scene, respectively. The second vertical angle and the first vertical angle are set according to the extension of the scene in the length direction, the vertical field of view of the near-field camera (200) and the far-field camera (300), and the height of the near-field camera (200) and the far-field camera (300). For example, the first vertical angle can be 60 degrees and the second vertical angle can be 30 degrees.

[0086] The following section provides a detailed analysis of the design concept of the camera assembly, taking into account the conditions of the aforementioned embodiments:

[0087] The implementation example is based on the requirement that, at a distance of d meters, within a face area of ​​m*m, the pixel density must meet the constraint of b*b pixels. For example, this method exemplifies this by requiring 80*80 pixels at a distance of 9 meters, within a face area of ​​160*160mm (the above example has high requirements; actual customer requirements may be lower, and the design concept of this method can be used to reduce the number of camera groups and individual camera groups). The design concept for the above example is as follows: based on the classroom size, it is necessary to cover an 8-meter width at the front row of students (1.8 meters), meaning the horizontal angle of the near-field camera group must meet 131.5°. However, at E=5 meters, covering an 8-meter width, the horizontal angle only needs to be 77.3°. Therefore, a front-to-back dual-camera stitching method can be used, i.e., the near-field camera group and the far-field camera group described in this application (it is understood that in some other implementations, the far-field camera group can be multiple, sequentially acquiring image information in different areas along the length of the scene). The close-up camera group includes two close-up cameras (200). The images from the two close-up cameras (200) are stitched together to obtain the entire image of the front area. Specifically, the stitching angle and face pixel density of the two close-up cameras (200) are between 1.8 and 5 meters, satisfying a resolution of 131.5° and 80*80 pixels. The far-view camera group includes two far-view cameras (300). The images from the two far-view cameras (300) are stitched together to obtain the entire image of the rear area. Specifically, the stitching angle and face pixel density of the two far-view cameras (300) are between 5 and 9 meters, satisfying a resolution of 77.3° and 80*80 pixels. For example... Figure 17As shown, by selecting the close-up camera (200), the stitching angle of the two close-up cameras (200) is η1 = 135.9°, 135.9 > ​​131.5°, and this field of view can be achieved at L13 = 1.62 meters. L13 is less than L12, which satisfies the requirement that at a distance of 1.8 meters from the camera in the length direction of the scene, an area of ​​8 meters in the width direction can be covered, thus realizing the acquisition of images of the front area. The stitching angle of the two distant cameras (300) is η2 = 86°. At a distance of L14 = 4.286 meters from the camera in the length direction of the scene, an area of ​​8 meters in the width direction can be covered, and the face pixel at a distance of 9 meters from the camera in the length direction of the scene can also meet the requirement of 80*80. From the specific parameters, due to the use of a front-to-back dual-camera setup with a close-up camera group and a distant camera group, the close-up camera (200) does not need to provide a face image at 9 meters, thus its EFL setting can be reduced. It uses EFL = 2.99mm, F = 1.8, L = 1800m, q = 0.00224mm, with a calculated depth of field range of 0.99m to 9.78m, meeting the working requirements of a distance of 5 meters from the camera along the length of the scene. The distant camera (300), needing to provide a face image at 9 meters, requires sufficient clarity, thus its EFL setting can be appropriately increased. The distant camera (300) uses EFL = 5.4mm, F = 1.8, L = 4000m, q = 0.00224mm, with a calculated depth of field range of 2.57m to 9.01m, meeting the working requirements of a distance of 5-9 meters from the camera along the length of the scene. For example... Figure 17 As shown, region A is the length range of the front region captured by the two close-up cameras (200), and region B is the length range of the rear region captured by the two distant cameras (300).

[0088] As described above, this application uses a specific scenario to illustrate the design results of employing two camera groups, namely a close-up camera group and a distant camera group, including two close-up cameras (200) and two distant cameras (300). It is understood that more design results are possible depending on different scenarios and customer needs. For example, in scenarios with low facial pixel density requirements, such as small classrooms, two close-up cameras (200) and a single distant camera (300) can be used. In scenarios with high facial pixel density requirements, such as large classrooms, three close-up cameras (200) and two distant cameras (300) can be used, or three close-up cameras (200) and three distant cameras (300). Alternatively, one close-up camera group and two or more distant camera groups can be set up to achieve segmented image acquisition of more parts along the length of the scene.

[0089] Secondly, multiple cameras can be fixed by a support (100), eliminating the need for individual on-site installation and calibration.

[0090] like Figure 1-6 As shown, the support (100) is used to connect the close-up camera (200) and the distant camera (300) to support and position them. Specifically, the support (100) may include multiple first mounting holes (101), into which the close-up camera (200) and the distant camera (300) are inserted. The first mounting holes (101) are used to limit the position of the close-up camera (200) and the distant camera (300) so that the axial angle of the close-up camera (200) and the distant camera (300) is fixed. The close-up camera (200) and the distant camera (300) are installed in the first mounting holes (101) by insertion. After installation, the relative angular positions of the optical axes between the multiple close-up cameras (200), between the multiple distant cameras (300), and between the close-up camera (200) and the distant camera (300) will be fixed. The structure of the first connecting hole (101) is adapted to either the close-up camera (200) or the distant camera (300), ensuring that the close-up camera (200) and the distant camera (300) are easy to install and their positions are not easily moved. The structure of the first connecting hole (101) connecting the close-up camera (200) and the distant camera (300) can be the same or different. If the outer contour structure of the close-up camera (200) and the distant camera (300) is different, the structure of the first connecting hole (101) is set according to the contour of the close-up camera (200) and the distant camera (300) respectively. The first connecting hole (101) is a hole opened in the thickness direction of the support (100), penetrating both opposite sides of the support (100) in the thickness direction.

[0091] The close-up camera (200) and the distant camera (300) mainly include a lens and a camera body. The lens includes a barrel and at least one lens located within the barrel. The optical axis of the close-up camera (200) and the distant camera (300) refers to the optical axis of the lens. The camera body mainly includes a filter, an optical sensor, and a reinforcing plate. The filter and the optical sensor are connected between the reinforcing plate and the lens. The reinforcing plate is used to support the filter and the optical sensor. The optical axis of the lens is usually perpendicular to the reinforcing plate. The close-up camera (200) and the distant camera (300) can be inserted into the first connecting hole (101) from one side of the lens, and the camera body is located on the back of the support (100). Figure 8As shown, the main body of the camera can be circular or square in shape, and is fitted to the back of the support (100). The lens can be abutted and limited through the first connecting hole (101); alternatively, there can be a gap between the lens and the first connecting hole (101), and the lens is limited by bonding the main body of the camera to the back of the support (100). In one embodiment, as... Figure 2-3 As shown, the back of the support (100) has a relatively complex surface shape. Each camera corresponds to a planar sub-region, and the angle of the sub-region is set according to the optical axis angle of the camera, such as perpendicular to the optical axis. The position of the sub-region can be set as needed, such as making the first connecting hole (101) have the same axial length. The first connecting hole (101) may include a socket and a mounting groove (102). The socket is opened at the bottom of the mounting groove (102) and is used to insert the lens. The shape of the mounting groove (102) is adapted to the camera body or slightly larger than the camera body. The camera body is embedded in the mounting groove (102) and fixed to the inner wall of the mounting groove (102) by dispensing glue or mechanical limiting to achieve the limiting of the camera. Alternatively, there may be other connection methods, which aim to fix the near-field camera (200) and the far-field camera (300) to the support (100).

[0092] During production, based on the shooting scene and the user's shooting needs, the parameters of the close-up camera (200) and the distant camera (300) are designed and selected using the design concept provided in one of the methods. This determines the shooting range of each close-up camera (200) and distant camera (300) in the scene, as well as the angle of the corresponding optical axis and the angle of the support (100). Subsequently, the position and angle of the first connecting hole (101) can be determined. The first connecting hole (101) is then machined according to the designed optical axis angle, so that when the close-up camera (200) and the distant camera (300) are installed in the first connecting hole (101), the images acquired by all the close-up cameras (200) and distant cameras (300) can be easily integrated, such as through stitching or mutual assistance for local magnification. For example, two close-up cameras (200) can be stitched together to form a complete image of the front area, two distant cameras (300) can be stitched together to form a complete image of the rear area, and the images from the front camera group and the rear camera group can be stitched together to obtain the image of the entire scene.

[0093] Because of the support structure (100), the near-field camera (200) and the far-field camera (300) can be installed on the support structure (100) before leaving the factory, forming a single unit, and then calibrated as a whole. This means a unified calibration process is performed before use in the terminal scenario. During on-site installation, the calibrated unit is directly installed. Due to the pre-calibration, no on-site calibration is required for image acquisition, and the acquired images can be integrated. This eliminates the need for recalibration of individual cameras when used in combination on-site, enabling the feasibility of using multiple cameras in combination.

[0094] This invention proposes a multi-camera module, multi-camera device, and functional equipment. By setting up multiple camera groups, with different angles between the optical axes of the cameras in different camera groups and the horizontal plane, the cameras in different camera groups face different areas along the length of the scene, thus acquiring images of different regions along the length direction of the scene. Each camera group includes one or more cameras, providing the required horizontal field of view in the width direction. When a camera group includes multiple cameras, the horizontal angles between the optical axes of the cameras allow different cameras to face different areas along the width direction of the scene, achieving the acquisition of images of different regions along the width direction of the scene. The number of camera groups and the number of cameras in a single camera group can be designed according to the needs of the scene. The number of cameras can be flexibly adjusted according to the scene, enabling cameras with small field of view to acquire images of small areas in both the width and length directions, ensuring clarity. Furthermore, due to the connection of the support structure, the positions of the cameras are fixed, allowing for pre-calibration of the cameras. This enables the stitching of images acquired by multiple cameras to acquire images of the entire scene, ensuring image quality comparable to high-definition wide-angle cameras while significantly reducing costs and avoiding the edge distortion problems of wide-angle cameras, providing a high-quality and more economical solution.

[0095] In one embodiment, the close-up camera (200) and the distant camera (300) are arranged in a horizontal direction.

[0096] The close-up camera (200) and the distant camera (300) are at the same height, which reduces the angular deviation between the close-up camera (200) and the distant camera (300) in obtaining close-up and distant images, thereby making the stitched image more realistic; and the shape of the entire multi-camera module is long and narrow, which makes it easier to integrate into a narrower bezel and increases the flexibility of use.

[0097] In one embodiment, when there are multiple close-up cameras (200), the multiple close-up cameras (200) are arranged adjacent to each other, and the distant camera (300) is located outside the close-up cameras (200).

[0098] If two close-up cameras (200) are positioned adjacent to each other in the center, and two distant cameras (300) are located on either side of the two close-up cameras (200), then in the width direction of the scene, the angles of the close-up cameras (200) and distant cameras (300) on the left side of the scene are relatively close, while the angles of the close-up cameras (200) and distant cameras (300) on the right side of the scene are relatively close. Consequently, in the entire stitched image, there will be no significant angle inconsistency between the close-up and distant images, resulting in a better visual effect. At the same time, since the distant camera (300) has a larger EFL, and therefore its axial dimension is usually larger, placing the distant camera (300) on the outside can reduce the potential obstruction of the field of view of the close-up cameras (200).

[0099] In one implementation, the fields of view of different cameras overlap. Specifically, the different close-up images acquired by two adjacent close-up cameras (200) have overlapping areas, and the near and far images acquired by two adjacent far-view cameras (300) have overlapping areas. Furthermore, the close-up and far-view images acquired by the close-up camera (200) and the far-view camera (300) on the same side of the width direction in the scene have overlapping areas, thus avoiding image omissions at the stitching position. The back-end algorithm is designed to perform local image extraction based on the overlapping areas, ensuring comprehensive image acquisition while reducing the impact of image edge distortion.

[0100] In one embodiment, the camera includes a lens and an image sensor, wherein the target surface of the lens is larger than the target surface of the image sensor.

[0101] Using a large-area lens with a small-area image sensor, such as an 8M sensor with a 13M lens for a close-up camera (200) or a long-range camera (300), since the resolution at the center of the lens is greater than that at the edge, the center field of view of the 13M lens is used for imaging, which can remove or reduce the problem of image edge distortion and ensure image quality.

[0102] In one embodiment, the support (100) includes a front end face (110) and a functional face (120), and a first mounting hole (101) is disposed on the functional face (120). The functional face (120) is recessed inward relative to the front end face (110), or the functional face (120) is protruding outward relative to the front end face (110), or both the functional face (120) and the front end face (110) are planar and coplanar.

[0103] The front face (110) and the functional face (120) face the scene, i.e., the side facing the lens of the camera. In the embodiment where the functional face (120) is concave and convex, it is easier to process the first mounting hole (101), and the plane where the opening of the first mounting hole (101) faces outward is nearly perpendicular to the optical axis of the camera. This allows the front end of the camera to protrude evenly from the edge of the opening of the first mounting hole (101) or to be nearly on the same plane as the edge of the opening of the first mounting hole (101), and the edge of the opening of the first mounting hole (101) will not obstruct the field of view of the camera. In the embodiment where the functional face (120) is flat, the overall appearance of the multi-camera module is simple, and the sealing with the housing is better.

[0104] In one embodiment, the inwardly recessed functional surface (120) provides a mounting base for either the close-up camera (200) or the distant camera (300) to acquire images crosswise. Specifically, with Figure 7 Taking direction as an example, among the two close-up cameras (200), the left close-up camera (200) is used to acquire the image of the right side of the front area, and the right close-up camera (200) is used to acquire the image of the left side of the front area. This achieves a cross-image acquisition method, allowing the fields of view of the two close-up cameras (200) to intersect at a smaller distance. When the scene to be acquired is close to the multi-camera module, it can avoid the potential loss of image acquisition between the close-up cameras (200). The same advantage applies to the distant camera (300), which will not be elaborated here.

[0105] In one embodiment, the multi-camera module further includes a wide-angle lens (400), which is connected to the support (100). The field of view of the wide-angle lens (400) is larger than that of the camera, and the resolution of the camera is greater than that of the wide-angle lens (400). The wide-angle lens (400) is used to acquire wide-angle images of the scene.

[0106] A wide-angle lens (400) is used to acquire wide-angle image information, such as a camera with a field of view of 180 degrees, 200 degrees, or 270 degrees. The optical axis of the wide-angle lens (400) points directly in front of the scene. For example, in the aforementioned classroom scenario, the wide-angle lens (400) acquires panoramic image information over a wide area, such as from 1.8 meters to 9 meters away from the camera along the length of the scene, with a 131.5° field of view at 1.8 meters. During display, the panoramic image acquired by the wide-angle lens (400) can be displayed. If high-definition display is required, a stitched image can be displayed, thus reducing computational load.

[0107] In one embodiment, the support (100) includes a second mounting hole (102) into which a wide-angle lens (400) is inserted. The second mounting hole (102) is used to limit the position of the wide-angle lens (400) so that the axial angle between the camera and the wide-angle lens (400) is fixed.

[0108] The axes between the close-up camera (200) and the distant camera (300) and the wide-angle lens (400) are fixed, thereby determining the positional relationship between the close-up image and the distant image and the wide-angle image acquired by the wide-angle lens (400). This allows for identification and positioning through the wide-angle image, and the extraction of high-definition images from the close-up or distant image for local display based on the correspondence between the images. The wide-angle lens (400) has a similar mechanism to the close-up camera (200) and the distant camera (300), also including a lens and a camera body. The limiting method of the wide-angle lens (400) by the second mounting hole (102) can be referred to the aforementioned first mounting hole (101), and will not be repeated here.

[0109] The wide-angle lens (400) can be positioned on one side outside all the close-up cameras (200) and distant cameras (300), thus making the positions of the close-up cameras (200) and distant cameras (300) more concentrated. The wide-angle lens (400) can be arranged horizontally with the close-up cameras (200) and distant cameras (300), thus making the overall shape of the multi-camera module elongated, which is convenient for installation. The wide-angle lens (400) can also be arranged above or below the close-up cameras (200) and distant cameras (300), i.e., in a triangular arrangement, thus more closely adhering to the perspective of the stitched image, with less change in perspective when switching, and a better visual experience.

[0110] In one implementation, such as Figure 18-19 As shown, the multi-camera module also includes a heat sink (500). The camera is used to acquire images from the first side, the heat sink (500) is connected to the support (100), and the heat sink (500) at least covers the second side of the camera opposite to the first side, the heat sink (500) is used to dissipate heat from the camera.

[0111] The first side of the camera refers to the side where the lens is mounted, that is, the side facing the scene, while the second side is the side where the camera body is mounted. The heat sink (500) serves to protect the camera and dissipate heat. The heat sink (500) can take various forms, such as... Figure 18As shown, the heat sink (500) includes a metal cover plate (501), which conducts heat through a reinforcing plate that contacts the camera body. The metal cover plate (501) has a large coverage area, which accelerates heat dissipation. The specific shape of the metal cover plate (501) matches the contour of the back of the support (100), allowing it to contact the camera bodies of all cameras, such as the close-up camera (200), the distant camera (300), and the wide-angle lens (400), thus dissipating heat for all cameras. The connection between the metal cover plate (501) and the support (100) can be achieved using bolts.

[0112] Furthermore, in some implementations, such as Figure 19 As shown, the heat sink (500) also includes thermal adhesive, such as silicone, which can quickly absorb heat and slowly dissipate it through the metal cover plate (501), ensuring that the multi-camera module can be cooled down as quickly as possible when it generates concentrated heat. The heat sink (500) also includes a housing (502). When using thermal adhesive, the housing (502) can be connected to the support body (100) to confine the thermal adhesive between the metal cover plate (501) and the housing (502). The thermal adhesive can be located at any desired position, and the housing (502) and the support body (100) can be bolted together.

[0113] On the other hand, this application also provides a multi-camera device, including a multi-camera module as described in any of the above, and a housing covering at least a portion of the periphery of the multi-camera module.

[0114] The multi-camera device includes any of the multi-camera modules described above, and the advantages of including any of the multi-camera modules described above will not be repeated here. The housing serves to protect the multi-camera module, reduce dust contamination, and minimize changes in camera position due to accidental touches.

[0115] Depending on the structure of the support body (100), the outer shell can have various implementations. In one implementation, the support body (100) includes a front end face (110) and a functional face (120), with the camera assembly disposed on the functional face (120) and the front end face (110) surrounding the functional face (120). The outer shell includes a front cover face, which is adapted to the contour of the front end face (110) and abuts against the front end face (110). The functional face (120) can be the aforementioned concave surface, convex surface, or flat surface. By abutting against the front end face (110), the connection is tighter and the sealing is better.

[0116] The front face (110) can be simply a plane, or, as Figure 4 , Figure 10As shown, the front end face (110) includes a stepped surface (111) and a recessed surface (112). The stepped surface (111) protrudes from the recessed surface (112) and surrounds the functional surface (120). The shape of the front cover surface is set according to the contours of the stepped surface (111) and the recessed surface (112), which further increases the sealing between the shell and the support (100) and plays a certain phase role.

[0117] In one embodiment, the housing includes a connector, which includes one or a combination of a clamping member, a magnetic member, a hanging member, a plug-in member, a threaded member, an adhesive member, and a support base. This facilitates the connection of multi-camera devices, such as attaching them to a conference room screen, a classroom blackboard, magnetically connecting them to a magnetic blackboard, or hanging them on a wall.

[0118] In another aspect, this application also provides a functional device, including a multi-camera module as described in any of the above, and a functional main body, wherein the multi-camera module is connected to the functional main body;

[0119] Alternatively, it may include a multi-camera device as described above, and a functional unit, wherein the multi-camera device is connected to the functional unit.

[0120] Functional equipment can be large screens in conference rooms, blackboards in classrooms, sports equipment, supermarket shelves, etc. For example, if the functional equipment is a blackboard in a classroom, the multi-camera module can be integrated into the blackboard frame, or the multi-camera device can be fixed to the blackboard in the classroom by means of a housing, such as a clamp or magnetic attachment.

[0121] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A multi-camera module, characterized in that, include: Support body (100); Multiple camera groups, each of the camera groups including at least one camera, the camera being connected to the support (100); The optical axes of the cameras in different camera groups have different vertical angles with the horizontal plane in order to obtain images of different regions along the length of the scene; When the same camera group includes multiple cameras, the optical axis of the cameras in the same camera group has the same vertical angle with the horizontal plane, and the optical axes of the cameras in the same camera group have a horizontal angle between them, so as to obtain images of different areas in the width direction of the scene.

2. The multi-camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multiple camera groups include a close-up camera group and a long-range camera group; The close-up camera group includes at least one close-up camera (200), which is connected to the support (100); the far-view camera group includes at least one far-view camera (300), which is connected to the support (100). The optical axis of the close-up camera (200) has a first vertical angle with the horizontal plane, and the optical axis of the far-view camera (300) has a second vertical angle with the horizontal plane; The second vertical angle is smaller than the first vertical angle, so that the close-up camera (200) acquires a close-up image of the front area of ​​the scene, and the far-view camera (300) acquires a far-view image of the rear area of ​​the scene, wherein the front area and the rear area are different areas in the length direction of the scene.

3. The multi-camera module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The number of the close-up cameras (200) is multiple; The optical axes of adjacent close-up cameras (200) have a first horizontal angle so that the multiple close-up cameras (200) can acquire close-up images of different areas in the width direction of the front region.

4. The multi-camera module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The number of the distant-view cameras (300) is multiple; The optical axes of adjacent distant cameras (300) have a second horizontal angle so that the plurality of distant cameras (300) can acquire distant images of different areas in the width direction of the rear area.

5. The multi-camera module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The close-up camera (200) and the distant camera (300) are arranged in a horizontal direction.

6. The multi-camera module according to claim 2, characterized in that, When there are multiple close-up cameras (200), the multiple close-up cameras (200) are arranged adjacent to each other, and the distant camera (300) is located outside the close-up cameras (200).

7. The multi-camera module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The number of the close-up cameras (200) is the same as the number of the distant cameras (300), or the number of the distant cameras (300) is less than the number of the close-up cameras (200).

8. The multi-camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that, There are overlapping areas between the fields of view of the different cameras.

9. The multi-camera module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The camera includes a lens and an image sensor, wherein the target surface of the lens is larger than the target surface of the image sensor.

10. The multi-camera module according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The support (100) includes a plurality of first mounting holes (101), the camera is inserted into the first mounting hole (101), and the first mounting hole (101) is used to limit the position of the camera so as to fix the axis angle of the camera.

11. The multi-camera module according to claim 10, characterized in that, The support (100) includes a front end face (110) and a functional face (120), and the first mounting hole (101) is disposed on the functional face (120); The functional surface (120) is recessed inward relative to the front end surface (110), or the functional surface (120) is protruding outward relative to the front end surface (110), or the functional surface (120) and the front end surface (110) are both planes and coplanar.

12. The multi-camera module according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The multi-camera module also includes: Heat sink (500); The camera is used to acquire images from the first side, the heat sink (500) is connected to the support (100), and the heat sink (500) at least covers the second side of the camera opposite to the first side, and the heat sink (500) is used to dissipate heat from the camera. The heat sink (500) includes a metal cover plate (501) and / or the heat sink (500) includes thermal adhesive.

13. The multi-camera module according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The multi-camera module also includes: A wide-angle lens (400) is connected to the support (100); The field of view of the wide-angle lens (400) is greater than that of the camera, and the resolution of the camera is greater than that of the wide-angle lens (400). The wide-angle lens (400) is used to acquire wide-angle images of the scene.

14. The multi-camera module according to claim 13, characterized in that, The support (100) includes a second mounting hole (102) into which the wide-angle lens (400) is inserted. The second mounting hole (102) is used to limit the position of the wide-angle lens (400) so that the axial angle of the camera and the wide-angle lens (400) is fixed.

15. The multi-camera module according to claim 13, characterized in that, The wide-angle lens (400) is arranged horizontally with the plurality of cameras, or the plurality of cameras are arranged horizontally and the wide-angle lens (400) is arranged in a triangle with the plurality of cameras.

16. A multi-camera device, characterized in that, Including the multi-camera module as described in any one of claims 1-15, and A housing that covers at least a portion of the periphery of the multi-camera module.

17. The multi-camera device according to claim 16, characterized in that, The support (100) includes a front end face (110) and a functional face (120). The camera group is disposed on the functional face (120), and the front end face (110) surrounds the functional face (120). The housing includes a front cover that is adapted to the contour of the front end face (110) and abuts against the front end face (110). The front end face (110) is a plane, or the front end face (110) includes a stepped surface (111) and a sunken surface (112), the stepped surface (111) protrudes from the sunken surface (112), and the stepped surface (111) surrounds the functional surface (120).

18. The multi-camera device according to claim 16, characterized in that, The housing includes connectors, which include one or a combination of clamping members, magnetic members, hanging members, plug-in members, threaded members, adhesive members, and support bases.

19. A functional device, characterized in that, The device includes a multi-camera module as described in any one of claims 1-15, and a functional body, wherein the multi-camera module is connected to the functional body; Alternatively, it may include a multi-camera device as described in any one of claims 16-18 above, and a functional body, wherein the multi-camera device is connected to the functional body.

Images